Wire rope machine



oct. 18, v1949. A. ARNASON 2,485,348

WIRE ROPE MACHINE F11ed Nov. 26, 1947 15 sheds-sheet 1 oct. 1s, 1949. y A. ARNASON 2,485,348

'WIRE ROPE. MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1947 15 sheets-sheet 2 (B3:- affzfzmam v Jz'tarny A. ARNASON WIRE ROPE MACHINE Oct. 18, 1949.

Filed Nov. 26, 1947 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 /EZJ frz 4.5072/ Oct. 18, 1949. A. ARNAsoN l 2,485,348

l WIRE ROPE MACHINE f Filed Nov'. 2e, 1941 15 sheets-smet 4 y tforney Oct. 18, 1949. v A. ARNAsoN 2,485,348

WIRE ROPE MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 26, 1947 0 r ,L |l.

A. ARNAsN .2,485,348

wiRE ROPE MACHINE Oct. 18,A 1949.

15 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 2e, 1947 for.'

y l M uff/orney Oc`t. 18, 1949.

Filed Nov. 26, 1947 A- ARNASON WIRE ROPE MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 for.'

WIRE ROPE MACHINE 15 sheds-sheet a Filed Nov. 26, 1947 -m' Tm/mmf l nz' uffa/asin v oct. 18, 1949. A. AR'NAYSON j 2,485,348

wIRFYRoPE MACHINE Filed Nov. ze, 194'?l v `15 sheets-sheet 9 Oct. 18, 1949. A. ARNAsoN 2,485,348

WIRE ROPE MACHINE Filed NOV. 26, 1947 y 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 ou. 1s, 1949,. A. ARNASON 485,348

` WIRE ROPE MACHINE l Filed Nov. ze, 1947 l lsheets-sheet 11 A. ARNASON WIRE ROPE l/IACI-IIIIE Oct. 1s, 1949.

15 Sheets-Sheet l2 Fileu Nov. 26, 1947 Oct. 18, 1949. A. ARNAsoN 2,485,348

WIRE EoPE MACHINE Filed Nov'. 26, 1947 15 sheets-sheet 13 A. ARNAsoN 2,485,348

WIRE ROPE MACHINE oct. 1s, 1949.

15 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Nov. 2e, 1947 4 Oct. 18, 1949. A, ARNASON 2,485,348

WIRE ROPE MACHINE Filed Nov. 2e, 1947 15 sheets-sheet 15 Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 19 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in wire-rope making machinery and has for its principal object the provision of a high-speed stranding and closing machine for wire rope and analogously stranded flamentary` products.

The machine disclosed herein is oi the multistrand, multi-bobbin variety employing a rotatlarged scale in the direction of lines 9-9 of Fig.

' 8, showing a carrier brake;

ing head and carrier of improved construction and which is cheaper to manufacture, operate, and maintain than prior types.

Among the principal objects and aspects of noveltyin the machine are:

The provision of an improved carrier construction employing spider plates, tubes, and intermediates;

The provision of singleand dual bobbin sections in unit assemblies with intermediate drive and coupling affording an over-all unitary carrier and head structure of great rigidity and capable of high-speed, smooth, stranding and closing operation;

The provision of an improved bobbin cradling, loading, and lead-oli arrangement with improved lead-off angle and easy threading;

The provision i efiicient and uniform section braking with single-ended drive, common takeoff drive for the intermediates and the haul-oil.

Additional objects and aspects of utility and novelty reside in details of the construction and operation of the embodiment hereinafter particularly described and explained in View of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and la are complementary top plan views of the machine, Fig. 1 showing the left or drive end, and Fig. la showing the right-hand or haul-oli end;

Figs. 2 and 2a are complementary side elevational views of the machine similar to Figs. 1 and 1a;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational fragment at the drive end of the machine showing one bobbin section and with parts shown in section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational fragment at the haul-on end of the machine with parts broken away to show the reversing gear;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View, to enlarged scale, of the closing head and haul-off;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the reverse drive along lines 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail through the reverse drive and taken along lines 'l-l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional detail, to enlarged scale, through one of the intermediates between bobbin sections;

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional detail through one of the intermediates, taken to en- Fig. l0 is another transverse'vertical section through a bobbin unit as viewed in the direction of lines I-lll of Fig. 3 and With the bobbin shown in elevation;

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail of one of the spider-frame assemblies of the carrier or head structure;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional detail of a terminal spider plate as taken in the direction of lines |2-i2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is anenlarged sectional detail of an intermediate spider plate looking in the direction of lines l3-l3 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a top plan view, to enlarged scale, of a bobbin with its cradle and tensor;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the cradle of Fig. 14 and the bobbin, tensor, and lock;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional detail along lines |6-I6 of Fig. 15, showing the wire lead-off bushing and mounting trunnion of the bobbin cradle;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged side-elevational detail of one of the bobbin locks;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal sectional detail through the bobbin lock along lines |8--I3 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional detail through the bobbin lock taken in the direction of lines I9-I9 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a perspective fragment of one of the cradle bobbin mounts and lock;

Fig. 21 is a rear or inside elevational View of the companion socket or mount to Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a perspective fragment of one of the i bobbin spindles;

Fig. 24 is a transverse vertical sectional detailI looking into the countershaft brake on lines 24-24 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is a transverse vertical sectional detail along lines 25-25 of Fig. 23 showing the carrier drive gears therefor;

Fig. 26 is la vertical sectional detail through a modified form of intermediate in which each section is individually driven from the countershaft by a gear at the front thereof, the view in other respects being similar to that of Fig. 23;

Fig. 27 is a vertical sectional detail of the brake means for the intermediate of Fig. 26 and taken in the direction of lines 21--21 thereof;

Fig. 28 is a vertical sectional detail through a modified form of intermediate which omits individual drive and adapts the new carrier struc- 3 ture to mounting on the old roller frames of prior machines;

Fig. 29 is a transverse section oi one of the spider-roller assemblies looking in the direction of lines 25)-29 of Fig. 28.

A short introductory statement of operation will be found hereinafter.

Introductory statement of operation Referring to Figs. l, 1a and 2, 2a, showing. the. entire machine from the top and side, respectively, the mechanism is mounted upon a bed structure consisting of parallel beams l and. 2. tied by cross members 3 and intermediate plates 4.

At the left-hand end of the machine is the power plant or motor 5, the end-drive gear unit 6, and driven end of the countershaft 'l (see also Fig. 3); at the right-hand end of the machine is. the closing head. and haut-off unit B.

Extending the length. of the machine between the gear unit 6 and the haul-off or capstan unit 8 is a rotatable carrier indicated generally at 9 and consisting of a plurality of sections I0 each provided with a wire bobbin Il.

In the embodiment of Figs. l, la, 2, 2a and 3, the entire carrier and all of its bobbin sections is rotated as a unit through a single-ended drive -in gear unit 6; however, the bobbins are seated in cradles l`2 trunnioned coaxially of the rotation axis of the carrier and are loaded for inertia so as to stand still as the carrier rotates thereabout.

The rope wiresl are led off from each bobbin through guides inside the carrier and finally emerge at the right-hand endof the machine to enter -the closing die I3, which, cooperatively with the haul-Gif capstan, lays the wires spirally to form up the rope without introducing any torque or twist into any of the strands, so that the. resulting rope is deadv and will run and coil without springing or twisting.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the drive is single-ended, the carrier sections are rigidly interconnected, and the braking is effected between sections on the carrier itself.

In modied embodiments hereinafter described, the carrier sections may be rigidly interconnected with individual section drive and countershaft braking, or the sections may be impositively coupled through av countershaft drive with countershaft braking.

Prior stranding and closing machines Three general types of stranding and closing machine are recognized in the art;v includedy is the so-called planetary type which is characterized by the fact that the bobbins are notset coaxially of the rotative axis of the carrier, but are cradledv around the peripheral par-t of the carrier on axes which are parallel to each other and to the axis of the carrier; this means that there are several bobbins, usually between four and eight, to each carrier section. This type of machine is slow, cumbersome, expensive to make and maintain, and relatively difficult toV thread; the speed limitations of this type of strander or closer are well-known.

Another prior type of machine is the so-called snake having an elongated carrier somewhat similar in appearance to the carrier of Fig. l-la, and characterized by the fact that the sections are held `together by a form of peripheral tierods and the bearing support is usually afforded by peripherally-engaged rollers. This form of prior machine and its. various embodiments` is characterized by marked susceptibility to torque dislocation when run at any speed above a slow minimum, which, if exceeded, causes the intermediate sections to weave and warp in a sinuous fashion (hence the name snake) which is absolutely destructive of the machine and produces an inferior rope product.

A third and more -popular type of machine is the tubeI variety, which employs an especially constructed', elongated pipe having a plurality of window-like cutouts arranged symmetrically about its periphery and length affording access to bobbins interiorly thereof and lightening the mass thereof in an essential way, said cutouts constituting probably one-quarter to one-third of the surface area of the tube or tubes, it being necessary in high-capacity (multi-strand) machines to have several tubes because it is impossible as a practical and economical matter to make dynamically balanced, true-running, tubes beyond a certain length 'if the machines are to be r-un at any usefully high speed.

The said tube type of machine is capable of higher operating speeds than either of the other'v two prior types; but it is subject to the objection of extremely high manufacturing cost because the section tubes are individually tailored, trued, and balanced, and involve much hand-machining; the costs in a high-capacity, 19 bobbin machine of that class are very great as compared with the cost of a machine according to the present disclosures.

Detailed description, single-ended drive Referring toFig. 3, motor connects through coupling 23 with a stud shaft 2l seated in ball bearings 22 in` housing 23 at the left-hand end of the machine. A driving pinion 24 on the stud shaft, meshing with counter pinion 25 on stud shaft la, supported in ball bearings 26, drives the countershaft l through coupling 2T. The countershaft extends the length` of the machine and is journaledin. ball bearings 28 in the intermediate plates 4 (Figs. 2c, 3, and 8) and in the right-hand end-plate housingv 3; and from the latter, it emerges for connection by coupling 29 with stud shaft 30 of the reverse and haul-off drive, as in Figs.. 2a, 4, and 6, particularly.

As in Figs. 4 and 6, the reverse gear is disposed in a housing 3| in the closing and hauloif unit, the stud shaft 36 being journaled in bearings 32 therein and having keyed slidably thereon. a clutch pinion 33 which may be slid back andY forth on this shaft responsive to swinging of a yoke lever 34 on cross shaft 35 connect- Iing exteriorly of the housing to hand operating lever 36 (see also Fig. '7). A spring detent 31 on said operating lever holds the same in forward and reverse. positions.

With they clutch yokev 34 shifted to the right, Fig. 4 or 6, the clutch pinion engages with gear 38 to drive gear 39 on the reverse countershaft 40 in a first direction. With the yoke shifted to the left (not shown), the clutch pinion 33 would drivingly engage sprocket 4l floating on stud shaft 30, thereby driving, sprocket 42 in the same direction through. chain 43 (see dotted line showings, Fig. 7), to 'drive the reverse countershaft in a second. direction.

The reverse countershaft 4B, Fig. 4, drives, throughl coupling 44 aconventional reduction gear unit 45 Whose ratiosmay be selected by wheel 46, and this gear unit in turn, throughv coupling 41, drives the capstan, which is also of conventional construction, and which is provided with the usual flanged take-up sheave or drum 50. The take-up drive ratios, as indicated by indicator 49, determine the length of the lay of the strands as they pass through die I3, the latter, it being noted, being adjustable by hand wheel 5| (Figs. 4 and 5) toward and away from the outfeed end of the machine for selection of suitable lead angles for diiierent lays.

Carrier structure In Fig. 11 there is shown a dual section carrier frame consisting of a pair of terminal spider plates 54 and 55 of triangular shape and provided with cornerwise openings to receive the ends of connecting frames or pipes 56 which are Welded for rigid attachment to their respective spider plates and which are disposedrelative to each other in triangular array for the length of the carrier section.

A pair oi median spider plates 51 and 58, also of triangular shape, is situated between said terminal plates and in spaced relation to each other for reasons to appear; at their corners, these median spiders are notched or cut-away to closely t into the spanner frames or pipes 56.-

and are welded to the latter at these points for further rigidication of the carrier structure. The welding WX of the terminal spiders and frames is detailed in Fig. 12, while that of the intermediate or median spiders is detailed in Fig. I3.' In the dual-section carrier unit shown in Fig. 11, there is provided a third intermediate spider 66 weldably secured to the frame pipes, for purposes to appear. f

The carrier section shown in Fig. 3 is a singley bobbin section, and differs from the construction of Fig. 11 only in that it has terminal spider plates 54A and 55A and one intermediate cradle spider 60A. Cradle bearings 6| are fitted into bores 62 (see Fig. l1) in the cradle supporting spider plates; the terminal spider 54A in Fig. 3 is bolted to a drive flange 63 on counter drive shaft 64, and the latter is journaled mainly in roller bearing 65 in housing 6 at the drive end of the machine. Said counter drive shaft 64 is driven through pinion 66 from drive pinion 24; thus,-

inotor 5 drives the first, single-bobbin carrier section, the latter being journaled at its opposite, right-hand end. in bearing means housed in the intermediate plate structure 4 of Fig. 3 in a type of construction now described in viewof Fig. 8.

In the enlarged view of Fig. 8, the terminal spider plate 55A is bolted as at 61 to the end of a collar 68 which is substantially concentric of the bores 62 inthe spiders, andthe opposite end of this collar is bolted as at 69 to the terminal plate 54B of the next following carrier section, said collar 68 being journaled in a'ball bearing unit seated in the intermediate plate structure l, the latter having a separable bearing-retainer 4A, Fig. 3 or 9, bolted to the main plate portion 4 by bolts 4B.

In the single-ended drive embodiment presently being described, and as depicted in Figs. l-la., 2-2a, all o-f the carrier sections are rigidly interconnected as by collar means 68 according to the construction of Fig. 8, the last, right-hand terminal spider plate 55X (Figs. 4 and 5) terminating in a collar 68X journaled in bearing means identical to the means 10 of Fig. 8 but retained by separable housing section 3A bolted home as at 3B, Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4, the terminal, right-hand, collar 68X is closed by an annular plate 12 having a bore 13 from which projects a short spindle 14 provided with a ianged lead-off disc 15; the closure plate 1.2 is provided with openings (not seen) through which the Wires Ware lead over the lead-off disc into the die |3.

Cradle. and bobbn structure Referring to the enlarged views -of Figs. 14 to 16, the cradles |2-are castings of somewhat elongated form having a central opening for the bobbin reel and tapering at opposite ends at which the casting is bored, as at 8| to receive trunnion and lead-off bushings 82, the cradle being split as at 83 at these points and provided withclamping bolts 84 for securing said bushings. The forward or right-hand bushing in each cradle is provided with a conical bore 85 for leading out the wire, as in Fig. 8, wherein the mounting of the trunnion bushings 82 in bearings 6| in the spider plates is also illustrated.

The cradle castings, in the regions adjoining the tapered ends thereof, are provided with integrally weighted portions (Figs. 14, 15) or inertia masses 86 disposed below the rocking axis of the cradle through the bushings 82, by reason of which the cradles remain in stationary, upright position, or nearly so, as in Fig'. 2a, during rotation of the carriers, there being actually a slight pitch or lean to the cradles during such rotation.

The bobbins or reels are provided with sheaves 81, Figs. 14 and 15, at one side and in which are received traction bands 88 looped as at 83 on yieldable hooks 90 in bosses 9| on the cradle castings, spring and nut means 92 affording adjustment of the tension on the bands to prevent the reels from unwinding too freely as the wire feeds out.

Bobbzn reel mounting As in Figs. 10 and 14, each reel Il is removably journaled in its cradle on a special reel spindle 95 which, as viewed in Figs. 17 through 22, is provided adjacent its ends with reduced portions 96 having keying flats 81 dimensioned to fit into keying slots 98 formed in bosses 88 and 98X in the cradle castings I2, it being necessary to rotate said spindles from the normally locked position illustrated in Fig. 22, so that the keying flats 91 are in vertical planes, in order to drop the spindles home in said bosses.

The boss 99 of Fig. 21 corresponds to that appearing on the right of Fig. 10, while the boss 99X is the locking boss on the opposite side of the cradle of Fig. 10, the construction of which is detailed in the perspective of Fig. 20, wherein appears a locking lever or detent |00 pivoted at |0| on the boss and normally urged by spring |02 against stop pin |03 to project locking lug |04 into the periphery of the spindle bore |05. When the spindle is dropped home into bores |05, the operator turns it a quarter-turn by manipulation of pin handle |06, so that the locking lug |04 drops automatically into one of the keyways |01 cut into opposite sides of the spindle, whereby the latter is locked in position, since the iiats 91 are thereby turned out of register with the key slots 98. This construction permits quick and easy loading and unloading of the bobbins while at the same time holding them securely in their cradles. The locked condition of the detent and spindle flats is detailed in Figs. 17, 18, and 19. y

Brakes for single-ended drive 'Z 'the construction' ot' these brakes;4 appearing more particularly in Fig. 9; wherein there areprovided; for eachbrake, pairsof. bra-1re'v bands. |.|.|l; pivoted at Each said brake band` is, fitted with a lining or facing ||2 which is engageable with the periphery of thecorresponding carrier-sectioneconnecting' collarI 68', the respective free ends of these bands being pivotally connected as at |'|.'3i to lug |ff|4 on' hydraulic cylinder |155, andi to piston `plunger lug ||i6g such. that when: pressure is. applied: to the hydraulic unit vatube llf'l, the ends of1 thev brake bands at M31 are drawny together causing the` same to. grab the. collar 68 and restrain the carriers. The relative positioning of thesebrakes appears to advantage in Fig. 8'. It isunderstood that: the braking system provides for connection: of the several' hydraulic pressure lines` Illi'l toa common control. head (not shown) order that the braking pressures maybe simultaneously applied to all. carrier brakes for the several sections.

Summary of operation, single-ended drive Bobbins of wire areloaded in-tcthe cradles by manipulation of the special reel spindles heretoforel described; withl a spindle 95 (Figs. 14 and l5)` inserted in the reel,` the handle |66 isl turned into a vertical plane and the spindle dropped home in its cradle seat,vwhereupon the handle |66- is turned into a horizontal plane so that the detent' IUD locks iein that condition.

The traction bands 88 fiory each bobbin are applied and suitably adjusted. With the bobbins loaded, threading may be started trom the bobbin nearest the motor or drive endf of the machine, the wire W being led from the reel' through the correspondingleadm bushing( 8.2. and the eye or bore 85 therein toward the right-hand end of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 3.

As in Fig. 8, the wireW" from a preceding bobbin and lead-ofi bushing will pass through the central opening in a guide flange |-2|" welded inthe interior of each coupling collar 6-8, as seen also in Fig. 9, then as indicated at W1' in Fig. 8, this wire willV pass upwardly toward the right hrough a-n arcuate eye 60X' (see also Fig. Il) in spider plate 6010i the succeeding carrier section, and thence this Wire W1 will continue upwardly along the uppermost carrier frame pipe 56 and through a guide eye like the eye |222 at the left-hand extremity of Fig. 8 so that. said wire may pass over the next bobbin. in the manner of the wire W2 at the. left of Fig. 8 and continue on into the next carrier sectionv toward theJ end of the machine.

Wires, like the Wire W2, from preceding carrier sections, pass through arcuate slots or eyes 55X (see also Fig. Il) in the last or terminal.y spider plates of each preceding section, thence through one of' the lead eyes |23 (Figs. 8 and` 9) the guide 'angesf IZi. to pass upwardlyy through the central opening 513K in the rst spider plate of the succeeding section, the-nce through. a frame eye |22 over the next bobbin, thence down through the next spider plate slot, up again over the next bobbin, and so on until the wire emerges from the end of the machine past the lead-off disc 'l5 to enter the die I3.

In the embodiment shown in Figs.. 2-2a, there are seven bobbins; accordingly, there will be seven wires entering the die |3. When the machine is loaded and threaded as aforesaid, and various adjustments made as` to lay and. lead, involving, among other things, selection. of the proper outhaul speedA by setting of: hand-Wheel 46; on theref.

ductiongear unit, and the. proper setting of the reverse control lever 36, motor 5 is startedL inthe correspondingly'correct direction, and the entire carrierassembly' is rotated. about an axisthrough the drive. anni' leadf-oi spindles, 64-14, Figs. 2.-2a.

As the capstan drum 5|); hauls oi the rope, WR (Figs. 2-2a, 4, 5). the Wires W are laid spirally by the die I3, right or left-hand, depending upon the rotation ofI theA machine, and' with-.a spiral lead depending upon the speed of outhaul. The machine is4 slowed: an'd stopped. with the.- aid of the bra-kemeansgBr (Figs. 3 and 9) by application of hydraulic pressure to cylinders ||.5.

Intermediate drive A modification. of therigidly interconnected or coupled carrier-section structure, exemplified in the: preceding. description, is found in Fig. 23, Whereinf thefsections. I0 and cradle structures |2 ara the same as heretofore described, and particularly in the respect that each carrier section is rigidly connected to: the next by means of a couplingI collar |50. bolted as at |51. to the adjoining terminal spiders |52` and |53 and journaled in the intermediate as by ballI bearing |54.

However, inthisty-pe of intermediate drive, the collar |58` isy tted with a1 ring gear |55 meshing with. a driving pinion |56 fast on countershaft 1, and. preferably there -is one such intermediate between each pair of carrier sectionse-that is, a common countershaft drive at the intermediate stations.

Means for braking the intermediate drive type oi construction. includes. a brake drum |51 fast on. the countershaft 1, together with a pair of expanding brake. arms |58 (Fig. 24) pivoted as at |59A on the intermediate casting |60, these brake. arms. being normalized or drawn together by spring means. |6.|,` and expanded for braking action by connectionat their respective free ends lr6-2 with an. hydraulic unit |634 of known construction.. TheY hydraulic pressure. is controlled through fluid` inlet |64 at the bottom of the casing or intermediate housing |60, inwhich there is formed a passage` |65. leading into the cylinder of |463. Upon application. of pressure to lineV |64, the arms |58. are expanded to. urge brake liners |66, Fig; 24, against the. inner periphery of the drum. ll, it beingunderstood, as in the previous embodiment, that. all brake pressure lines |64 are connected preferably to. acommon hydraulic control head, not. shown;

Inv` other respects, theI operation, loading, threading, and control. of the intermediate drive typei of machine is. the same as that previously described; This; construction is especially contrived for'very large. machines ofthe nineteen to twenty=flve bo'bbin. class utilizing therigidly interconnected or coupled carrier sections of the type specified.

As shown inA Fig.. 25., the intermediate casing or. housing |60; has a.. removable head |6|lX secured by bolts: |605?, and: encloses the ring gear |1551 pinion |'56i and coupling. collar: |56 in a sealed condition, oil seals |61- being provided, and the housing having oil* filler-.andi drain: plugs |68, |69, Figs. 23 and 25'.

Intermediate individual carrier drive For very high speed, multi-bobbin machines, the` construction of Fig.. 26 is desirable,I according to which eachcarriersection is. journal'edin the intermediatebut. is not rigidly coupled to the. ad-

joining section. In this embodiment, the .construction of the carriers and cradles is identical to that previously described, but the terminal spider plate |80 of one section is bolted as at |8| to one half of a split collar |82, the latter containing the guide flange |2|, while the rst terminal plate |84 of the next section is bolted as at |85 to the other half |186 of the split coupling collar.

Each collar section is journaled in ball bearing means |01, |88, respectively, seated in an intermediate housing |90 similar to the casing |60 for rigidly coupled intermediate drive.

On the terminal (spider plate) collar |81 of each section is fixed a ring gear I9| meshing with a driving pinion |92 fast on countershaft 1; thus, at each intermediate (after the rst) each carrier section is individually driven by a gear connection with the countershaft, and, as in the case of the rigidly coupled intermediate drive, the braking is applied to the countershaft by the identical means shown in Figs. 23 and 24, including a brake drum |04 (Figs. 26 and 21) fast on the countershaft, and a pair of expanding brake .arms |05, actuated by spring and hydraulic means |06| 91 under control of pressure from control line |98. According to this construction, practically unlimited numbers of carriers may be driven in a very long machine at high speeds with favorable driving and braking torques and with stable, workable alignment of the sections from one end of the machine to the other, using the basic carrier structure of the smaller machine of Figs. l-1a.

Roller bed carrier mounting The basic carrier structure heretofore described is also'adaptable to the old style roller mounting used in low-speed forming machines of relatively few bobbin capacity, such machines, Where they are otherwise properly constructed, being cheap and usable Where they are run at slowspeed and not too long. Y.

In this adaptation construction, carrier frame pipes 56Y,(Fig. 28) are passed through their respective terminal spider plates 200 and 20| so as to project therebeyond, the ends of the pipes from each-section confronting` each other and being aligned'by pins 202, Fig. 28, and in addition, said plates are interconnected by bolt means 203.

The terminal plate 200, however, is not triangular, but circular, and is tted within a roller ring 204 and Welded thereto as at 205. Both terminal platescarry bearings 206 mounting their respective trunnion and lead-off bushings for cradles |2 of the construction heretofore described.

As in Fig. 29, the rollers 204 rest on journal rollers 2,01 in turn journaled as at 208 inv a conventional Amachine bed'or frame (not shown), the weight of theV carriers, cradles, and bobbins holding the sections down on said journal rollers at low speeds.

I claim:

1. In wire rope machines, carriers comprising a .plurality of triangular plates aligned in parallel planes, elongated frame members extended in parallelism in engagement With the corners of said plates and rigidly secured thereto, wire guiding slots in certain of said plates, and aligned bearing seats situated centrally of certain of said plates.

2. In a wire rope machine, carriers comprising triangular terminal plates aligned in parallel planes, elongated frame pieces extending in parallelism between said plates at the corners thereof and welded ,rigidly thereto, said carriers aligned in seriatim and rigidly coupled by collar means secured to confronting terminal plates of adjoining carriers, intermediates journaling said collars, means drivingly coupled to a first carrier for rotating the same and the series of carriers, and at least one Wire bobbin trunnioned in each carrier, together with wire lead-ofi:` means leading the wires from each bobbin through succeeding collar means for engagement with a forming apparatus.

3. In a wire rope machine, a carrier structure comprising three elongated frame members extending in parallelism and in triangular array, a triangular terminal spider plate at each end of said array with corresponding end portions of eachA frame member engaged in a corresponding corner portion of the corresponding plate and rigidly secured thereto, at least one triangular intermediate spider plate secured identically to said frame members between and in parallelism with said terminal plates, central bores in said plates, and a wire bobbin cradle trunnioned in bearing means in the bores of one of said terminal plates and said intermediate plate.

4. A wire rope machine including bobbin carriers in linear alignment, collar means rigidly interconnecting said carriers for joint rotation as a unit about an axis coincident with the axis of alignment thereof, power drive means including a countershaft extending parallel With said axisV from a first to a last carrier, at least, a ring gear on each collar meshing with a driving pinion therefor on said` countershaft providing intermediate carrier drive, and brake means coacting with said countershaft at a plurality of said intermediate drives.

5. In a wire rope machine, bobbin carriers in linear alignment, collar means rigidly intercon- .necting said carriers for joint rotation about the axis of alignment thereof, a countershaft common to all carriers, means for drivingsaid countershaft, intermediate supports between said carriers and each including annular-bearing means circumambiently supporting the corresponding collar means, a driving gear on said countershaft for each said collar means, a driven gear on each collar means coacting with a corresponding driving gear aforesaid, and means for leading wire from each carrier along paths through said collar means in a direction from a first carrier past a last carrier.

6. In a wire rope machine, bobbin carriers in linear coaxial alignment for rotation as a unit about a common axis, intermediate supports between succeeding carriers, confronting pairs of coaxially aligned collars between succeeding carriers and each collar rigidly attached to one of said succeeding carriers, annular bearing means circumambiently supporting each ,collar at each said support, a ring gear on one collar of each said pair, a countershaft common to all carriers, driving pinions on said countershaft for each said ring gear, and brake means for said countershaft,

ltogether with means for driving saidcounter shaft.

'1. The invention of claim 6 further characterized by the provision of annular bearing means circumambiently supporting said countershaft in each said intermediate support.

8. The invention of claim 6 further characterized in that said brake means includes a brake drum on said countershaft at one of said intermediate supports, at least, and braking means 

